*This story originally appeared in The Budget’s 2017-2018 Winter Sports Preview

Budget Sports Team report

For Garaway Girls Basketball Head Coach Dave Shutt, it’s game time.

“We like this group of girls,” he said. “They have put in a lot of time on and off the court since the season ended last year.”

He noted that the core group is returning including the senior quartet of Haley Shutt, Sydney Mullet, Maddie Steiner and Makayla Miller.

“We have great senior leadership,” Shutt noted. “They will lead our team well.”

Looking forward, Shutt noted he is excited for what the season holds because the team is closer than any he has coached in recent years. “They are close and hang out as a group,” he said. “They have become very family-like and that will help them on the court.”

With the new IVC pattern, Shutt noted the schedule is very solid. The Pirates will play several Division II and even a Division I school this season. “The bigger schools will help us be better prepared for tournament time,” Shutt said.